The story of this market
The typical home in Lake County, Montana sells for about $573,281, or $285 per square foot.
Prices are down 23.8% from a year ago, which gives buyers more room to negotiate. Homes take about 62 days to sell, which is slow. Over the long run, values in this county have grown 172% since 2000. Last year 6 of 9 neighborhoods saw prices rise, so the story isn't the same street to street. The biggest natural hazard here is winter weather, which FEMA rates very high. HUD's fair market rent for a two-bedroom is $1,448 a month.
HUD sets the fair market rent for a 2-bedroom at $1,448 a month. FEMA's National Risk Index rates overall hazard risk here as Relatively High.
Price climate
Every year of price change, 2000–2025
0%
2025
Each stripe is one year's median price change across the area's census tracts (FHFA repeat-sales index). Deep blue is a strong gain year, red a falling year. Best: 2022 (+23%). Worst: 2011 (-8.3%). Hover to read a year.
Monthly price momentum
Home values since 2015
+2.9%
MT · past 12 months
Freddie Mac House Price Index, single-family homes, monthly through 2026-08. Each line starts at 100 in January 2015, so a reading of 180 means prices are up 80% since then.
Rent benchmark
Fair market rent by size
$1,821
3-bed / month
HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal 2027, for this county. A typical rent for a modest unit, used to set housing-voucher payments.
Neighborhood price trend
Long-run price trend, 2000–2025
0%
2025 change
FHFA repeat-sales index, median of 9 census tracts in this county (2000 = 100). Bars are each year's median change.
Natural hazard exposure
The area's risk shape
94
Relatively High
FEMA National Risk Index. Each spoke is a hazard ranked nationally, where 100 is the most exposed. Expected annual loss: $37,833,879.
Mortgage activity
Home lending in this county
79.3%
2018 approval rate
| Year | Applications | Loans made | Approval | Investor share | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 1104 | 568 | 79.3% | 7.3% | $305,000 |
CFPB Home Mortgage Disclosure Act records: every mortgage application reported by lenders for homes in this county. Approval rate is approved ÷ decided (withdrawn and incomplete files excluded). Investor share and home value are the median census tract.
Lake County, Montana
The Lake County housing market is experiencing a significant correction with median prices falling nearly 24% year-over-year. High inventory levels relative to sales activity and extended days on market suggest a cooling environment for sellers. The market is currently characterized by price volatility and a shift in buyer demand.
8 distress filing(s) on the ARED verified county foreclosure ledger. Key-figure check: no independent anchor retained yet — first-researched cycles establish the anchor baseline this pass.
Select a city to expand its ZIP intel reports beneath · 3 cities · 3 ZIP reports
Median prices moved down 23.8% year over year.
Homes spend a median of 62 days on market with 0.0 months of supply — a balanced-paced market.
0% of listings have cut prices · homes sell at 0% of asking — demand is holding steady.
no recorded foreclosure-ledger notices (0.0 per 10,000 residents) · unemployment 0.0% · poverty 17.2% — a stable, low-distress profile.
No researched properties in this county yet — the property base layer populates as property research runs, and each property feeds its ZIP's roll-up.
No researched ZIP reports yet — ZIP discovery runs with the county's first refresh, and each ZIP's intel report appears here once its research lands.
- Flathead Lake Alpine Coaster4.825.5 mi
- The Raven4.222.9 mi
- Big Arm Resort4.211.5 mi
- Bigfork Summer Playhouse4.827.2 mi
- Mavericks Roadhouse & Casino4.524.4 mi
- West Shore / Flathead Lake State Park4.719.4 mi
- Yellow Bay / Flathead Lake State Park4.714.9 mi
- Big Arm / Flathead Lake State Park4.812.7 mi
- Miracle of America Museum4.81 mi
- Wild Horse Island State Park4.812.7 mi
- CSKT Bison Range Visitor Center: Museum & Gift Shop4.821.8 mi
- Miracle of America Museum4.81 mi
- St Ignatius Mission Parish4.824.7 mi
- Ninepipes Museum of Early Montana4.816.1 mi
- Malt Shop4.624.4 mi
- West Shore / Flathead Lake State Park4.719.4 mi
- Yellow Bay / Flathead Lake State Park4.714.9 mi
- Big Arm / Flathead Lake State Park4.812.7 mi
- Finley Point Unit - Flathead Lake State Park4.66.2 mi
- Wild Horse Island State Park4.812.7 mi
- Big Arm Resort4.211.5 mi
- Riverside Recreation4.82.1 mi
- Flathead Lake4.816.2 mi
- Polson Bay Golf Course4.71.5 mi
- Mission Mountain Golf Club4.59.2 mi
- Safeway4.21.2 mi
- Murdoch's Ranch & Home Supply4.41.2 mi
Theme parks, venues, golf, airports, museums, water and shopping across the area from Google Maps, ranked by popularity within the radius shown.
Census Reporter profile for Lake County, MT
applies when — Property owned by the state or other exempt entities held by a private party under a contract of sale
The property is assessed and taxed to the private holder as if they held legal title, without deduction for unpaid purchase price.
MCA 15-24-1202
Property is valued by the Department of Revenue; tax is calculated by applying the state-determined tax rate to the taxable value (Market Value x Tax Rate). Homestead and long-term rental reduced tax rates are available via enrollment.
Montana Department of Revenue Property Assessment Division
applies when — Residential property on a parcel exceeding 40 acres
Requires judicial foreclosure through a sheriff's sale; includes a 1-year right of redemption during which the borrower may remain in the residence.
MCA 71-1-224
applies when — Residential property on a parcel of 40 acres or less
Allows for non-judicial foreclosure via trustee sale; no right of redemption exists for the borrower after the sale; deficiency judgments are prohibited.
MCA 71-1-315; Montana Small Tract Financing Act
Governance registry — every jurisdiction re-researches on a rolling 90-day cycle. Property reports compose these inherited burdens into a per-parcel ledger with conditional determinations. Informational only — not legal advice.